When Vista Unified School District’s WaveCrest Cafe launched its Farm to School program in 2014, few community members knew that it existed, what it was, or why it mattered. Fast-forward a few years and the robust program has seen awareness grow by 400%, enjoying public knowledge of the program between 65% - 70% based on regular surveys conducted by the Child Nutrition Services department.
The innovative department hired San Diego-based Dunk Tank Marketing to design, implement, and provide support for the promotion and outreach of the department as a whole, with Farm to School becoming a focus of the effort.
“Farm to School encompasses so much of what the department does, and it’s a clear and concise way to convey the values and work of the entire CNS team,” says Dave Palmer, Founder of Dunk Tank Marketing. “The term ‘Farm to School’ is something many people already understand, which makes it easier to convey deeper information. And while the initial perception relates to local procurement, it really serves as a gateway to talk about much more.”
To learn more about how Dunk Tank Marketing can promote your school nutrition program, schedule a call.
Jamie Phillips, Director of Child Nutrition Services for Vista Unified says, “Our team has worked closely with Dunk Tank Marketing for several years to promote the excellent work of our team and to engage and inform the community about the quality and importance of the school meal program to our community. Farm to School is a clear and effective way to talk about our nutrition department and all that we’re doing. Being known for Farm to School is a huge positive for our program and our staff.”
CONSISTENT, COMPELLING MESSAGING
Dunk Tank has worked with Vista Unified to design multiple ways to engage the community with the nutrition department and its Farm to School program. Those platforms include a standalone website and social media channels for the department, events on campus, news alerts shared with local media, a monthly email newsletter, and regular website and social media updates.
“Promoting school nutrition generally, and Farm to School specifically, is an ongoing process,” says Palmer. “Too often a district starts a promotion only to taper off as the demands of the school year build. It’s like a school garden that relies on a parent volunteer or single staff person. If anything disrupts that person’s schedule, the garden can go fallow and need to be restarted.
“We’re grateful to work with an amazing team in Vista to collaborate on a consistent, ongoing campaign to keep WaveCrest Cafe in peoples’ minds day in and day out. When students, staff, and families know more about what’s happening, they feel better about the meals served and the care provided by the people preparing and serving them.”
Boost your nutrition program’s participation, awareness, and engagement.
From a do-it-for-me social media plan to full-scale immersive campaigns, level up your marketing today. Schedule a consultation.